Aquaponics and sustainability: The comparison of two different aquaponic techniques using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

Aquaponics is generally regarded as a sustainable practice, but its environmental burdens were not yet deeply investigated. In this study, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was used to assess the environmental impacts of two hypothetical coupled aquaponics systems (CAPS): Raft System (RAFT) and Media-Filled Beds System (MFBS). Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa) were considered as cultivated species in both systems. The Simapro (R) software V.8.0 was used for calculation. The comparison between the two virtual systems indicated the floating technique as the less impacting one. Even though energy consumption appears to be higher in the floating system, LCA results were markedly influenced by the extensive use of inert materials in MFSB. In both systems, contribution analyses underlined that the main environmental impacts are related to infrastructures, electricity and fish feed. The LCA analyses carried out in this study highlights that the choice of less impacting materials, and the optimization of management practices, should be taken as priorities in order to reduce environmental impacts of this activity. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Space allocation for coastal aquaculture in North Africa: Data constraints, industry requirements and conservation issues

This paper presents a methodology for the selection of coastal sites for finfish cage farming, based on both satellite remotely sensed data and mathematical models. Such methodology can be applied, at screening level, also in areas where field data are lacking, and consists in two steps. In the first one, candidate areas are ranked according to criteria which take into account the risk of cage breaking due to wave actions and fish welfare requirements. This step involves the post-processing of satellite data and results of operational oceanographic models by means a multi-criteria methodology implemented in a GIS environment. In the second step, an integrated aquaculture impact assessment model is applied to the most suitable areas in order to obtain a preliminary assessment of the potential interaction of a newly established cage with benthic habitats. The methodology was applied to an Algerian coastal area near the town of Bejaia where the central government is planning to develop aquaculture activities. Results show that the procedure allows to perform a site selection, which combines the quality of a site from the aquaculture use perspective with the conservation of endangered benthic habitats (Posidonia oceanica meadows) under the spatial restrictions imposed by existing activities. This result goes in the direction of defining site selection methodologies complying with the principles of the ecosystem approach to aquaculture and providing a science-based support in the framework of the implementation of the UNEP/MAP ecological approach